Here’s Timo Werner “We played very well today. Both penalties were the right decision - the red card was also good for us as it meant we could control the game. Before the game, the manager told me that if we got a penalty I should take it. Jorginho is cool with that. I hope I can continue to take them When you want to score 20 or more goals you have to take a few penalties, so I am happy.”
Ten-man Sevilla have come from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at home to Krasnodar. That’s not a terrible result for Chelsea, who already look certain to qualify for the last 16. They are joint top on seven points with Sevilla, six ahead of Renes and Krasnodar.
Full time: Chelsea 3-0 Rennes
Peep peep! Chelsea continue their good recent run with an easy victory over ten-man Rennes. Timo Werner scored two first-half penalties, the second after a soul-crushing VAR intervention, and Tammy Abraham added a nice third shortly after half-time. Just as importantly, the impressive Edouard Mendy kept his fifth consecutive clean sheet.
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90 min Three minutes of added time. The second half has been the expected non-event.
89 min Del Castillo is booked for a late tackle on Werner.
87 min And now Traore shoots well wide from 30 yards. Rennes have been surprisingly perky in the last 10 or 15 minutes.
85 min Hunou shoots over on the turn from 20 yards.
84 min Mendy keeps his sheet clean with a good diving save from Grenier. Doku then has a goal disallowed for an obvious offside.
82 min If it stays like this it will be Chelsea’s fifth consecutive clean sheet, which is seriously impressive given their music-hall defending at the start of the season.
79 min Kovacic is booked for holding off Grenier with a hand to the neck.
78 min According to the official Uefa statistics, Rennes have had 65 per cent of the possession in the second half. It doesn’t really compute, but that’s what it says.
76 min Now Rennes make their last change - Adrien Hunou for Sehrou Guirassy.
75 min Chelsea make their final substitution: Callum Hudson-Odoi replaces Hakim Ziyech, who had a quiet game apart from one spectacular volley at 0-0.
74 min Giroud misses a good chance, poking a shot at Gomis after a short through pass from Ziyech. Gomis has been impressive, despite the scoreline.
72 min Rennes have had more of the ball in the last few minutes. I suspect both teams would happy to call it off now and go home.
68 min The imperious Thiago Silva is replaced by Antonio Rudiger.
67 min: Almost a hat-trick for Werner! Thiago angles a gorgeous pass over the top to James, who slides a first-time cross towards Werner at the far post. He is about to tap the ball into the empty net when Da Silva slides to divert it away from him. That was great defending.
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66 min Thiago Silva, who is about to go off, makes a vital acrobatic interception at the near post. His authority has made such a difference to the Chelsea defence.
65 min Jorginho is booked for a late tackle on Del Castillo.
64 min Emerson’s low cross almost reaches Giroud in the six-yard box. Da Silva slides in front of him to clear.
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63 min Three changes for Chelsea as well - Emerson, Olivier Giroud and Mateo Kovacic on, Ben Chilwell, N’Golo Kante and Tammy Abraham off.
62 min Three more changes for Rennes. Clement Grenier, Romain Del Castillo and Jeremy Doku replace Steven Nzonzi, Yann Gboho and and Martin Terrier.
59 min “I’m still broadly in favour of VAR,” says Matt Dony. “But, the fact that video replays are in use is absolutely no excuse for imbecilic application of handball laws. It was a crazy decision, but not inherently VAR’s fault. The law is an ass. The way referees are asked to apply it is a family of asses. The way some referees take it upon themselves to apply it is a herd of asses.”
57 min Chelsea have got a bit of a swagger on. Rennes have hardly been out of their half since the break.
53 min A half chance for Rennes, with Da Silva heading Bourigeaud’s free-kick over the bar.
52 min This is perfect for Frank Lampard - another easy win, probably another clean sheet, and he can make five substitutions to rest key players before the weekend.
51 min There’s a delay to the kick-off while the VAR team search desperately to find something wrong with the goal. They can’t.
GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Rennes (Abraham 50)
That goal has been in the post since half-time. Ziyech plays in the overlapping James, whose excellent first-time cross is put away from close range by Abraham.
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50 min Ziyech misses an excellent chance, smashing a half-volley over the bar from 10 yards after a good cross from Chilwell.
49 min Chelsea are all over Rennes at the start of the second half. Chilwell surges into the area and slides a low cross that is cleared by Aguerd, who was in the six-yard box facing his own goal.
48 min Jorginho curls a glorious first-time through pass to Abraham, whose shot is superbly blocked by the sliding Gomis. Abraham was offside, though Gomis didn’t know that at the time.
47 min “Hi Rob,” says Peter Oh. “This match-up is a clash between the Havertz-nots (I wish the Chelsea man a speedy recovery) and the VAR-hurts (condolences to Rennes being served up a steaming pile of horse pucky). I realise this attempt at wordplay pun-ditry is itself a pile of horse pucky but my excuse today is that I’m an anxious American waiting for an election result. (“Checking votes. Decision...?”).”
At least that one won’t go to the VAR monitor. Will it? A Stockley Park recount would liven things up I suppose.
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46 min Peep peep! Chelsea begin the second half.
Rennes have made a half-time substitution - Adrien Truffert replaces James Lea Siliki.
Half time chit chat “I know it’s an in-the-heat-of-the-moment thing (‘it was nice knowing you’) but are we kind of getting there with football?” says Elliot Wilson. “I’m falling out of love with the game (VAR, diving, delays, play acting, let’s not get involved with the big money and corruption) and I’m a Liverpool fan.”
There is still plenty to like - Liverpool, for example, are everything you could want in a football team, and the game itself is so beautiful that it can just about survive all this abuse and neglect. But it has become the most despicable, foolish industry.
Half-time reading
Half time: Chelsea 2-0 Rennes
Peep peep! Chelsea are cruising to victory against ten-man Rennes. Timo Werner scored two penalties, the second after one of the more offensive decisions in football history, and Chelsea can put their slippers on for the second half.
45 min There will be three added minutes. It’s hard to care after that farce.
43 min Even by the miserable standards of VAR football, that penalty/red card was a fist-clenchingly egregious decision.
GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Rennes (Werner 41 pen)
Werner scores his second penalty! This one is a beauty, blasted into the top-left corner. You can’t save those.
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DALBERT IS SENT OFF!
40 min He’s been given a second yellow card as well! Oh this is an utter mound of horse pucky.
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40 min: PENALTY GIVEN! Thanks football, it was nice knowing you.
39 min: The referee is checking the monitor. I think this is going to be given. It’s utterly ludicrous.
37 min: VAR check! Abraham appeals for a penalty when his shot hits Dalbert’s leg and ricochets onto his outstretched arm. It shouldn’t be a penalty, so it probably will be.
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36 min Werner scoots past Da Silva on the left side of the area and drives a cross that is put behind by the covering Traore. Ziyech’s outswinging corner is headed off target by the backpedalling Zouma.
33 min Bourigeaud’s free-kick flashes just wide of the far post. I’m not sure whether it was a shot or a cross; Mendy pulled his hands away and let it go past. It almost went in.
31 min Ziyech is booked for a foul on Dalbert just outside the area on the left.
30 min Kante has been booked for kicking the ball away. It’s a strange game, this - both teams have been bright and breezy, yet there has been hardly any incident of note.
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29 min And here’s more on a legendary defensive performance from Manchester United in Istanbul.
28 min In the other game in this group, the score is Sevilla 0-2 Krasnodar. Who knew? You can follow all the goals from the other Champions League matches here.
27 min Traore’s cross takes a slight deflection and almost reaches Guirassy, who is blocked off by Zouma at the near post. Guirassy was offside anyway.
25 min Rennes look a bit toothless. They have passed the ball really nicely in the middle of the pitch, but as soon as they enter the final third it bites the dust. Can you bite dust if you’re toothless? Never mind.
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24 min Zouma’s speculative long ball almost breaks for Ziyech, who is just beaten to the ball by the keeper Gomias.
22 min Nothing is happening. I’m not sure what else to say.
19 min Actually I think Abraham’s problem is because of the way he landed. He’s limping a bit, though he might be able to run it off.
18 min Abraham is down after receiving Da Silva’s elbow in the back of the head as they jumped for a high ball. I think he’s fine.
14 min Rennes are having plenty of the ball, more than most of us expected. Chelsea won’t necessarily mind that, especially with their pace on the break.
11 min Werner won that penalty because of his speed. His first touch was poor, which made Dalbert think he could win the ball, but Werner nicked it away from him and was tripped.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Rennes (Werner 10 pen)
Timo Werner scores with a sidefoot into the bottom-left corner. Gomis got a hand on it but could only push it into the net. Having got to the ball, he should maybe have saved it.
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9 min: Penalty to Chelsea! Werner is clipped by Dalbert just inside the area; a clear penalty. Dalbert is booked.
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8 min: Brilliant effort from Ziyech! That would have been an outrageous goal. Jorginho (I think) angled a fast, flat pass into Ziyech on the edge of the area, left of centre. He killed the ball with his left foot, leaned back and hit an instant volley that beat Gomis and just cleared the bar.
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6 min Traore wins the first corner for Rennes, who look confident going forward. Bourigeaud’s corner is missed at the near post and flashes across the face of goal. The ball is kept alive by Rennes, and they appeal for a penalty when Aguerd’s header hits Zouma. It did hit his hand but it was in a natural position, down by his side, and he was only a couple of yards away.
5 min Both sides have started brightly, with some good one-touch football and unfettered tackling. No chances yet though.
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2 min James plays a slick one-two with Ziyech and curls a dangerous cross that is shinned away from danger by Traore.
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1 min Peep peep! Rennes, in white, kick off from left to right. Chelsea are in blue.
The Chelsea players emerge from the tunnel, all with their gamefaces applied. It’s a lovely night in west London. Little brisk.
In other news
Wait until you see Demba Ba’s opening goal.
An email! “Given the money Chelsea expended on him, can Kepa Arrizabalaga be declared the greatest transfer failure in footballing history?” asks Ian Copestake. “And how long is the warranty on a ‘keeper?”
I still think Doug Ballard to Melchester Rovers is the worst transfer in football history.
Kai Havertz tests positive for Covid-19
Frank Lampard has confirmed Kai Havertz has tested positive for Covid-19. As a consequence the player is now undergoing a period of self-isolation and is not involved in tonight’s Champions League game versus Rennes.#CHEREN
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 4, 2020
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Some pre-match reading
Team news
Chelsea (4-3-3) Mendy; James, Thiago Silva, Zouma, Chilwell; Kante, Jorginho, Mount; Ziyech, Abraham, Werner.
Substitutes: Caballero, Ziger, Rudiger, Alonso, Christensen, Tomori, Kovacic, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Azpilicueta, Emerson.
Rennes (4-3-3) Gomis; Traore, Da Silva, Aguerd, Dalbert; Bourigeaud, Nzonzi, Lea Siliki; Gboho, Guirassy, Terrier.
Substitutes: Salin, Bonet, Nyamsi, Grenier, Doku, Del Castillo, Hunou, Truffert, Assignon, Rutter, Omari, Ugochukwu.
Referee Felix Zwayer (Germany).
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Preamble
Good evening and welcome to live coverage of Chelsea v Rennes from Stamford Bridge. October was a pretty good month for Chelsea: three wins, three draws and, most importantly, five clean sheets in six games. It’s no coincidence that in the other game, the 3-3 draw with Southampton, they were without Edouard Mendy and Thiago Silva.
Mendy, who faces his former club tonight, looks like the keeper Chelsea have needed since Thibaut Courtois did one in 2018. Thiago has added authority, class and calmness to what was a nervy back line. A decent defence would be a serious gamechanger for Chelsea, who have more than enough talent to take care of business at the other end.
Rennes are third in Ligue 1, the same position they finished last season, but their form has been iffy of late and they have taken only one point from their first two Champions League games. Chelsea are strong favourites to win tonight; if they do, they’ll have three or four toes in the last 16.
Kick off 8pm.
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